OT: Cycling ... as in... riding bikes... as in... bicycles

[Ajbbklyn]

I spent six years commuting by bike. Ten miles each way between Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan. Some of the most elegant, heart-pumping exercise I ever did. Climbed the hill in Prospect Park every morning and climbed Flatbush Avenue every evening. Best part was descending the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge in the early morning during September and October...taking in the view of the skyline which, at the time, included the World Trade Center.

Have an old "ten-speed" 5 cogs x 2 chainrings, 27¼" tires, drop bars, toe clips, no quick releases, friction shifting - levers on the down tube.

In recent years, I've been commuting by boat and getting my aerobics by running along the East River at lunchtime.

Advice - helmet with helmet-mounted mirror. And get acquainted with bike shops along your most travelled route(s).

[Tone Deft]

Every bike thread needs a scare story for the sake of counterbalance:
http://www.eunuch.org/Alpha/B/newaccident.htm

never ever ever ever never ever ride next to cars, no closer than an arm's length. I've seen guys get doored it happens faster than anyone can react. if the author was going that fast he should just take the lane, sounds like fiction to me.

it's safer to ride fast, take the lane, be a part of traffic. even then you're only elevated to motorcycle status. never cross an intersection on either side of a car, always make eye contact with drivers and never hesitate to stop.

riding without a helmet isn't a good idea, at any speed. Darwin in effect. I also wear a bright green vest, it really does feel like I get along with cars MUCH better with it on. still, there are drivers that are just clueless.


Driveways - after the 4th flat you'd think you might check your tire pressure or get new tires. dunno, 15 years of city biking I've had very few flats.

agreed on Continental tires. I switched to their Highway Snakeskin tires, they're wearing great (no wear) and feel amazing. a little pricey but it looks like they'll last for hundreds of miles.

Also: This.

love that video!! still, it's a great way to take out hipsters, screw 'em. tons of fixies around here, half are clowns, some are damn fast.

locks - I just take my bike inside with me. it seems like SF is getting more bike friendly every year, people don't mind. if they complain, well, it's a whiny liberal tree hugging town, don't hate on environmentally friendly transportation.

...or doing my first century ride <gulp>.

Cool - on or off-road?

Just did my first century last year... here: http://www.berlin.de/mauer/mauerweg/index/index.en.php - it's the route of the old Berlin wall, pretty much exactly 100 miles.

My only tips for your first century - take lots and lots of food and drink and don't experiment with anything new - no new equipment, clothes or food choices - stick with tried and trusted. It's a great sense of accomplishment though, totally worth it - good luck!

that looks like a beautiful ride, lots of green. looks like Berlin is a HUGE city, I had no idea.

I'll go road. dunno if I'm going to go for it this weekend or put it off and do 50-75 miles the next few weekends. I really want to go up Mt Tam again and see SF from up there without the fog. I figure it's just being on the bike ALL day, like 9 hours of it. after 50 miles there's gas in the tank, but damn I'd hate to bonk 50 miles away from home. that's a long cab ride, as if could find one.

I've done the stuff in the southern half of that route, no clue what's in store in the northern half.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxEoVAo6X_E <--- Roam, a cool MTB video, lots of park shots.

[GrooveNinja]

Nice man, here's my rides:



Just got the road bike this year when my wife decided she didn't want to mtn bike anymore. Definitely different from bombing down trails, but still fun.

Very nice! I love Specialized!

[Tarekith]

Ditto, big fan, lifetime warrenty on an all mountain frame that sees a lot of use as a freeride bike is GOOD thing.

[Hervé]

Fixed gear (:

[Tarekith]

I'd like a SS, don't think I could do a fixie though.

[Hervé]

I'd like a SS, don't think I could do a fixie though.

Living in the mountains... having a flip/flop wheel. free wheel for goign down, fixed for the flat and this
to go up again

[aqua_tek]

Hervé, that's a NICE looking bike there! The red, white, and black make it look sexy.

Here's my less than perfect tape job, but it'll do for now. Red cork tape purchased at a local bike shop, with some red electrical tape to hold the ends in place.



I think the red would look better with a matte black instead of with that pearly/metallic black finish this bike has... I might get into a DIY paint job later on.

Anyways... took it out for a little ride after taping it up, to continue learning how to work those pesky friction shifters (not a fan of those, BTW. might eventually try and swap them for some indexed shifters, or I'll just turn it into a single speed)... when all of a sudden I hear a pfffffff sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh sh shhhhhhh

I stop. Get off. Turn the front wheel as I hone in on the hiss. And lo and behold... a goddamn piece of glass lodged into the tire.

[Tone Deft]

that blows. you need
http://www.conti-online.com/generator/w ... us_en.html



I was getting ready to do that Mt Tam ride last weekend, got my fast wheels on, was mixing up some go juice when I hear psssssssssssssssssssssssssss... wtf? the tube ripped at the valve because my pump is a POS and it's a bitch to get onto the stem. then I try a new tube and the !@#$%ing #$*&ity &*%#ing valve won't even go into the pump. so I put on the fat wheels instead, which sucked because it's a long ride to places I'd never been, how I gotta do it on much slower tires. no clue why the spare wouldn't fit but I got a new pump, fug that noise.

[tigerrider]

[aqua_tek]

I got a new tire and tube for the front... temporary solution. Nothing too fancy. Eventually I'll get some better tires.

Question... has anyone turned their 10 or 12 speeds into single gears? I've thought about doing this to mine. Seen some videos. Doesn't look super complicated as a DIY project, but it may be expensive ( ? )

[Tarekith]

Easy enough to buy a single speed hub and tensioner, expensive depends on how much YOu want to spend though. One thing about bike parts, there's always rediculously overpriced stuff out there for people with deep enough wallets.

[v76]

I have a Surly Singleator you will need. 25$ +SH

[Tone Deft]

Question... has anyone turned their 10 or 12 speeds into single gears? I've thought about doing this to mine. Seen some videos. Doesn't look super complicated as a DIY project, but it may be expensive ( ? )

oh noes!!! he's turning hipster!

don't do it man, don't do it.


ugh. does your bike have a straight rear dropout? IOW check the slot where the back tire clamps in, is it slanted up or straight back? straight back is what you want.

want all the fun of a hipster without the expense? don't change gears.

(did 60 miles yesterday, nothing a fixie could handle.)

[zalo]

(did 60 miles yesterday, nothing a fixie could handle.)

the original tour de france was only fixed

i know several people whose daily commute on a fixed is 30 miles,

anyway my bike



80 dollars total (knowing the right people can make all the difference)

velocity deep Vs
phil wood hubs
mks sylvan njs stamped
campy 32 front ring
surly 13 back
everything else came out of trash cans and dumpsters

oh and for tires
armadillo on the front gatorskin on the back